Damper structure



May 7,' 1946 H. s. HER'MANsoN 'DAVIPER STRUCTUREi Filed Jan. lO, 1944- .Nw .will Y IN VEN TOR.

Patented May 7, 1946 UNITEDl sTA'rss PATENT ori-ics i A r nmstgo'rrtlc'rvaa l hammams, m' 3" lr. 's1-1?:

(CL HU 19 Claims.

My present invention relates to a damper structure designed for volume control on zoned air conditioning systems and the like. I

One object or the invention is toprovide a damper structure having simple and inexpensive adjusting means for the open and closed positions of the damper blades. and for pintles of the damper blades, scthat the blades can be properly positioned in their frame and relative to each other.

Another object is to provide adjusting means for the open and closed positions of the damper blades, which means is conveniently accessible from the front of the damper structure when the damper blades are open.

Still another object is to provide clamping elements for the pintles oi the damper blades. which permit a considerable range' ci adjustment of the blades relative to each other and relative to their supporting frame, so as to insure proper closing-of all dampers and proper clearance relative to the frame to prevent any dragging action during operation which would be detrimental to the functioning of the dampers.

Another object is to provide adjustable clamping elements for the pintles relative to the damper blades and to provide damper operating arms carried directly by the clamping elements.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my damper-structure whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully4 set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through the. damper structure embodying my invention, and showing a pneumatic motor connected therewith for oper-v ating the same..

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2- -2' of Figure 1 showing the damper trame in rear elevation, this gure being on a reduced scale relative to Figure 1.

-referenoe characterF indicate in general a rectangular `frame. The frame F has a top element Il, a bottom element l2, end elements i3 and a cross bar il. The frame may be formed of fiat bar or sheet metal stock, the bar il being formed of the same material and welded, or otherwise suitably secured at its ends between the top and bottom oi' the frame F. The frame F is adapted to be mounted in a duct D with packing material Il surrounding it to seal the spaceY between the inner suriaoe of the duct and the outer surface of the frame.

Upper and lower damper blades il and 2li are mounted in the frame F, two of the blades Il onopposite sides of the cross bar Il and two of the blades 2t also on opposite sides of the cross bar. The blades Il and are hinged by means Figure 3 is a sectional view on thewline I-i of Figure 1 showing a rock shaft housing and associated parts.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4`4 of Figure 3, showing ,a stop cam and screw arrangement within the rock shalt housing.- y

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the lower left corner of4 Figure 2, and:

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the clamp element used in connection with my damper structure.

On the accompanying drawing 1 haveused the oi pintles 22 and are substantially ilat plates provided with terminal flanges 2l lying closely vadjacent to each other in the closed positions of the dampersas shown in Figure 1. Adjacent the rear edges o! the damper plates, flanges 28 are provided to ove'rlap the rear edges of the frame F, the direction of air ow being as indicated 25 by the arrow A in Figure 1. 4

The pintles 22 are rotatable in perforations 2l formed in the end members i2 of the frame and in the cross bar il (seeisures 2 and 5). Two oi the pintles extend through the cross bar and four through the frame ends as illustrated in mure 2. where the damper is formed in two sections. Obviously. one section only need be Provided for a relatively short frame. whereas a longer frame can have three or more sections if desired.

The pintles 22 are adiustably clamped to the damper blades Il and 2l byclamp plates Sl. The clamp plates 3l are each provided with a supporting flange Il and a half-cylindrical portion 3 4. the nanges 32 contacting the damper blades. and the portions 34 contacting the pintles as shown in Figure 1. Clamp bolts li are utilised for eiecting the clamping action and extend through slotted openings Il or the clamp plates (see'Figure 5). f

Two of the clamping plates as shown at the left of Figure 2 are provided with upper and lower damper actuating arms and 4 2 respectively. or rather these armsare connected to the damper blades by the same clamp screws II thereby eliminating the necessity o! separate attaching means for the arms relative to the blades. The arms The frame F has secured thereto, an extension 48 for supporting a motor M, such as one of the kind shown in my copending application, Serial No. 419,917, filed November 21, 1941, now .Patent No. 2,372,273. The motor M may consist, for in" stance, of a housing' 50 and a flexible bellows 52 which may h'ave compressed air introduced between them -to react on the housing and the bellows, and thereby result in collapse of the bellows for moving the damper blades from the normally adjustment after installation if found necessary closed position of Figure 1 to an open position or to intermediate positions if intermediate values of pressure are applied to the motor. The operative connections between the motor M and the damper blades consist of the following:

A bellows rod 5I extends slidably through a guide E6 ofA th'e housing 50, having a head 58 on its inner end to be acted upon by the bellows, and a pivot 60 at its outer end. A link 82 extends from the pivot Sli to another pivot it. The pivot M is carried by adamper actuating element 68 in 'the form of a plate secured to a rock shaft 88 by a. screw lb. The rock shaft 6b is preferably provided with an other-than-round shouldered portion 'I2 to insure against relative movement between the rock shaft and the plate 86.

The plate @t is operatively connected by links i4 and 'i3 to the damper actuating arms 40 and d2. For return ci the dempers from open to closed positions when the air is exhausted from the housing tu, the motor M has a return spring `it mounted therein.

The rock shaft @t is .iournaled in a rock shaft housing i3@ secured as by three lugs 82 and screws iid to the frame extension S8. AThe frameextension has a perforation @Sand the housing 8B has a perforation 88 for journaling the rock shaft. Within the housing, a stop element or cam Si! is provided on the rock shaft and has a closed posi-` tion stop shoulder til, and an open position stop shoulder Sii. Threaded in the housing 8@ for the respective stop shoulders 82 and Mi are stop screws ed and 98. A friction wire Miti, initially straight, is bent to the position shown in Figure 3 by means of mounting screw ist to provide friction against the screws t@ and 58 and thereby retain them in any position to which they are adjusted, thus, preventing them from becoming loosened under vibration.

My damper structure a, number of adi/am tages, particularly from an installation and adjustine standpoint. The fre-.me F is usually mounted in a duct D adjacent its discharge end into a room or the like baci: oi ari-ornamental grille, the position of the frame being such with' respect to the grille as to lust permit clearance of the front edges 2G of the damper blades when the dempers are open. In the initial installation oi the damper blades. it is quite important to secure the proper clearance between the Side edges of the blades, and the frame elements Iii, as Well as the cross bar le. This is accomplished by shifting the damper blades so that the clamp plates just contact at their spacer lugs 46 with the members I3 have equal clearance with respect to the members i3 and i4. The blades of course are properly cut to be slightly less than the distance between the frame elements I3 and I4 with allowance made for any slight twisting of the frame when lnstalled in the duct.

Another adjustment accomplished at the factory by the clamp plates l0 is that of matching the closed position of one set of dempers with' the clamp plates 30 relative to the as when th'e frame is installed in a slight twist and the dempers are consequently thrown out of alignment,

The stop screws 96 and 98.are so located with respect to the frame and the dampers that they are readily accessible through the frame between the dempers when the dempers are open. Ii' a grille is mounted in front of the dempers, o. long shank screw driver can be inserted through it for this purpose without removing the grille. This facilitates adjusting the damper blades for maximum opening and for either a minimum position or full closed position as desired at the other limit of motion. The blades can be opened and the stop screw 98 adjusted until the positions of the dampers are at the required spacing between the flanges 21%/ The screw 98 may then be ad- Justed, while the motor is exhausted, thus moving the blades away from closedfposition to the desired minimum closed position. Y

The adjustment features of my damper structure are particularly adaptable to dempers of the type illustrated which afford streamline flow as distinguished from new in which turbulence is caused by butterfly types oi dempers. 'I'heresulting structure is relatively noiseless, and the desired volume of delivery is secured by proper ad- Justment of the damper blades during installation. By means of the features disclosed in my specification, such adjustments are readily made dil and it while both side 'edges ofthe damper blades v in a minimum of time, and with a minimum'. of inconvenience, the stop screws SS and 9B being conveniently accessible without the necessity of removing a grille. The clamp screws constitute a convenient factory adjustment prior to delivery.

of the damper to the lob.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms ci structure or use oi' mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope without sacriilcing any of the advantages thereof.

` I claim as my invention:

i.` Xn a damper structure, the combination of a frame, damper blades hinged therein adjacent opposite sides oi the frame, a rock shaft journaled on said frame intermediate the hinge connections, a damper control element mounted on said rock shaft, links operatively connecting;I said damper control element to said damper blades, a

motor connected with said damper control element to rock said rock shaft, a stop cam on said rocir shaft, and a pair of stop screws coacting therewith and mounted on said frame for access through the frame and said damper blades when the damper blades are open, one of said stop screws engaging saidcam in the open positions of the damper blades and the other stop screw engaging said cam in the closed positions thereof.

2. In a damper structure, the combination of a substantially rectangular damper frame, a damper blade hinged therein, a rock shaft `iournaled on said frame. a damper control elementv mounted on said rock shaft, means operatively 1connecting said damper control element to said damper blade,- a motor-for rocking said adminis."` 3

rock shaft, a stop element on said rockshaft and a pair of stop screws coacting therewith and mounted for access through said frame and said damper when open, one of said stop screws en-` gaging said stop element in the open position of the damper and the other stop screw engaging said stop element in the closed position of the damper. i l

3. A damper structure comprising the combination of a frame, a damper blade hinged therein, a rock shaft journaled on said frame, a damper control element mounted on said rock shaft, a

' motor mounted on said frame, links operatively connecting said damper control eiementto said motor andtomsaid damper blade, a stop cam on said rockshaft, and a pair of stop screws coaoting therewith for engaging said cam in the open and closed positions respectively of said damper structure.

4. A damper structure comprising the combi-A nation of a substantially rectangular frame, substantially rectangular damper blades hinged therein adjacent opposite sides of said frame, said damper blades in their closed Positions inclining away from the air stream and toward each other and having lips at their outer extremities substantially in contact with each other in the closed positions of the blades, a housing mounted on said frame, a rock shaft journaied in said housing, a

--damper control element on said rock shaft, link connections between said element and said damper blades, a stop cam on said rock shaft thereto in effecting alignment of the blades on opposite sides of said cross bar with each other, damper operating arms carried by said clamp platea-a rock shaft iournaled on said frame, link connections between said'rock shaft and said damper operating arms, a motor operan tively connected with said rock shaft, a stop element on said rock shaft, and stop screws coacting therewith and threadedly carried by said frame for adiustably limiting the open and closed A positions of the damper blades.

8. In a damper structure. the combination oi' I a substantially rectangular frame having a cross bar, damper blades on opposite sides of said cross bar, hinge means for said damper blades comprising pintles Journaled in the ends of the frame, other pintles independent of said `first pintle, said other pintles extending through said cross bar and journaled therein, clamp plates on said damper blades for frlctionaliy clamping said last .pintles to said damper blades in positions eil'ecting alignment of the blades on opposite sides of said' cross bar with each other, a rock shaft jour-1` naied on said frame, operative connections-be-'\` tween said rock shaft and said damper blades,

and a motor operatively connected: with said rock within said housing, and stop screws threaded in said'housing for alternately'engaging said cam y Ain the open. and closed positions respectively of thedsmper blades.

5. In a damper structure, the combination .of a

frame, damper blades hinged 'therein adjacent opposite sides of the frame, a housing supported by said frame, a rock shaft .iournaled in said housinl. 'a damper .control element on said rock shaft, operative connections between. said element and said ,damper blades, a stop element on said rock shaft within said housing, stop screws threaded in said housing for alternatelyengaging 'said stop element inthe open and closed-positions respectively of the' damper blades, said stop screws being located with respect to said damper blades whereby. they are accessible between the Plates when the bladesA are in their open positions.

6. A damper vstructure comprising the combination of a frame, damperblades hinged therein adjacent opposite sides of lthe frame, said damper blades in their closed vpositions inclining away from the air stream and toward each other and having lips at their outer extremities substantially in contact with'each other in thev closed positions of the blades, a rock shaft, operative connections .between said .rock shaft and said damper blades, a stop on saidrock shaft, and stop screws for alternately engaging said stop in 'theV open and closedpositions respectively of the damper blades, said stop screws. beine locd'fes with respect to said damper blades whereby they accessible between the blades when the blades are'open. v

'1. In a damper structure, the combination of a substantially rectangular frame having a cross4 bar, pairs of damper blades on opposite sides of said cross bar, hinge mea'ns for saiddamper blades comprising pintles Journaled in the ends.

of the frame and in said cross bar, clamp plates shaft.

'9. In a damper structure, combination of a frame, damper blades in said frame, hinge means for said damper blades icomprising pintles iournaied in the frame and lying against the a frame. damper .blades in said frame, hinge,

means for said damper blades comprising pintles Journaied in the frame, clamp plates on said damper blades for adiustably clampingsaid pinties thereto, damper operating arms carried by said damper` blades, arock shaft Journaled on said frame, operative connections between said rock shaft and said damper operating arms, and a motor operatively connected with said rock shaft, said. clamp plates having spacer lugs to project beyondthe edges of said damper plates and engage said frame in all positions' of the 'damper blades, said clamp plates having slot and.

clamp screw' connections with said damper blades to permit of adjustment of the edges of the damper blades relative to said spacer lugs. Y

ll. Ina damper structure. the combination of 'a frame, damper blades in said frame, hinge .means for said damper blades comprising pintles ,iournaled in the frame, clamp plates on said damper blades for adiustablyclamping said pintles thereto, damper operatingarmscarried byv said damper bla'des, a rock shaft Journaled on said frame. operative .connections between said rock shaft and saiddamper operating arms. and a motor operatively connected with said rock shaft. said clamp plates having spacer lugs to project beyond the edges of said damper blades `and engage said frame in all positions of the damper blades.

12. Adamper structure comprising the combination of a substantially rectangular frame,

- on 'ma damper blades for. clamping ma pintles vs? pintles iournaled therein adiacent opposite sides ments for adjustably clamping said pintles to said damper blades, damper actuating arms for said damper blades, a rock shaft Journaled relative to said frame, a motor for actuating said rock shaft, operative* connections .between said rock shaft and said damper actuating arms, stop screws cooperating with said rock shaft to limit its rocking positions in the closed and open positions of the damper blades, said stop screws being located within the outline of said frame and ad- .iustabie from the front of the frame through said damper blades when they are in their open positions.

13. A damper structure comprising the combination of a frame, pintles iournaled therein, damper blades mounted in said frame against said pintles, clamp elements for adjustably clamping said pintles to said damper blades, said clamp elements having spacer lugs forengaging said frame to limitend play of said dammi blades in all positions thereof, damper actuating arms for said blades, a rock shaft 'journaled relative t0 said frame, a motor for actuating said rock shaft, and operative connections between said rock shaft and said damper actuating arms.

14. A damper structure comprising the combination of a frame, pintles journaled therein adjacent opposite sides of the frame, damper blades mounted in said frame, clamp elements for clamping said pintles to said damper blades, said clamp elements having spacer lugs engaging said frame in all positions of said damper blades relative thereto, and a motor operatively connected with said damper blades for opening and closing them.

15. A damper structure comprising the combination of a frame, pintles journaled therein adjacent opposite sides of the frame, damper blades mounted .in said frame, clamp elements for clamping said pintles to said damper blades, said clamp elements having spacer lugs engaging said frame in all positions of the blades, a motor operatively connected with said damper blades, for opening and closing them, and stop screws cooperating with said operative connections to limit the dampers in their closed and open positions, said stop screws being adjustable from the front y of the frame when said damper blades are in their open positions.

16. In s. damper structure, the combination: of a support including a frame, a damper blade hinged in said frame adjacent opposited sides thereof, a rock shaft journaled on said support, a damper control elementvmounted on said rock shaft, a link operatively connecting said damper control element to said damper blade, a motor connected with said damper control element to rock said rock shaft, and means for limiting movement of said rock shaft in one direction, said means being adjustable and mounted on said support behind said damper blade for access through said frame and said damper blade when the damper blade is open.

17. In a damper structure, the combination of a support including a substantially rectangular damper frame, a damper blade hingedin said frame, a rock shaft journaled on said support, a damper control element mounted on said rock shaft, means. operatively connecting said damper control element to said damper blade, a motor for rocking said rock shaft, a stop element on said rock shaft, and a stop screw coacting therewith and mounted behind said damper blade for access through said frame and said damper blade when open, said stop screw engaging said stop element in one limit position of said damper blade. v

18. A damper structure comprising the comb nation of a support including a frame, a damper blade hinged in said frame, a rock shaft Journaled on said support, a damper control element mounted on said rock shaft, a motor mounted on said support, links operatively connecting said damper control element to said motor and to said I0 damper blade, stop means on-said rock shaft, and

a pair of adjustable stop elements coacting therewith for engaging said stop means in open and closed positions respectively of said damper structure, said adjustable stop elements being 85 located behind said damper blade and accessible for adjustment through said frame from the front thereof when said damper blade is open.

19. A damper structure comprising the combination of a substantially rectangular frame, substantially rectangular damper blades hinged therein adjacent opposite sides of said frame, said damper blades in their closed positions inclining away from the air stream and toward each other and having lips at their outer extremities substantially in contact with each other in the closed positions of the blades, a housing supported by said frame behind said damper blades, a rock l shaft Journaled in said housing, a. damper control element on said rock shaft, operative connections between said elemen't and said damper blades, and motion limiting means for said damper blades in desired open and closed positions thereof, saidl motion limiting means being supported by said housing and accessible for ad- 55 justment through said frame from the front thereof when said damper blades are open.

HENNING S. HmMANEiON. 

